WWII showed importance of cooperation - Obama

The Soviet Union and the US fought together against Nazism. Decades of Cold War were to follow, but US President Barack Obama told political commentator Sergey Brilev that the Soviet role should not be underestimated.

“The May, 9th commemoration in Russia is so important because it reminds us of the extraordinary sacrifices that the then-Soviet Union made and the strength of the alliance between the US and the Russian people. Our current ambassador in Moscow, Ambassador Beyrle, his father briefly fought with the Soviet Army, he was part of US operations there, was captured, escaped to the Soviet Union and ended up fighting with the Soviet Army”, US President Obama told Sergey Brilev.

These days, Mr Obama sees terrorism as the common enemy for Russia and the USA.

“It is a signal whether these activities [terror attacks] are happening in Moscow or they are happening in New York, that countries have to work together to make sure that these terrorists are apprehended, that their networks are destroyed and that their sources of financing dry up”, says President Obama.

Another key issue for cooperation between the countries is nuclear security. Mr Brilev asked Mr Obama about the recently signed START treaty.

“The very fact that Russia and the US signed this treaty means that it eased so much better mutual understanding between Moscow and Washington. And, given the circumstances, it’s worth using this opportunity to go further… trying to convert this mutual understanding into something of substance into such particular areas as European security”, Brilev told RT.

On Sunday, as Russian soldiers march through Red Square in the Victory Day parade, they will be joined by American troops – something which would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.

According to Russian Presidential press attaché Natalya Timakova, it is also a symbolic step forward in what has been a year of bridge-building between east and west.

“The two powers with the largest nuclear arsenals have set an example for everybody of how they can quickly find common ground. After Russia and the US signed a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, both Presidents Obama and Medvedev show they are interested in setting a new agenda for our relations, and to continue their co-operation,” she said.

“Among the priority issues, which were backed by the US, is developing business ties and economic modernisation. Just recently, President Obama invited President Medvedev to visit Silicon Valley in the US to see how a knowledge-based economy works there. It is another opportunity for us to continue resetting our relations,” Timakova added.